


Bloody Nose

by kaxen



Series: The Hallboys [5]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Illustrated, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 03:52:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4904515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaxen/pseuds/kaxen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mod AU-ish. Though I guess they could also be at a secret gay bar sometime after WWII which was in their lifetimes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bloody Nose

Nick nursed his drink. He’d need a lot of liquor to forget about how extremely bad at dancing he was. He was sure there were disabled flamingos with better coordination in mating dances. The trouble was that he wanted to show off for Peter and he was pretty sure he saw Peter nearly disappear into the wallpaper after the disaster which must never be spoken of again.

Speaking of flamingos, Nick scanned the bar for Peter. It was easy. It mostly required looking up.

Someone was chatting up Peter. Someone, dare Nick say it, handsome.

Nick gulped down the last of his drink and half-ran half-stumbled his way across the crowded room. He couldn’t tell if someone slapped his ass appreciatively or because he stepped on their foot, but that wasn’t so important as the idea someone was making eyes for Peter. 

Nick grabbed Peter by the wrist, partly because he was feeling possessive, and partly because he was feeling rather wobbly.

“Peter! Is this guy,” Nick hiccuped, “giving you any trouble?”

“Me and Daniel were just talking,” Peter said.

“What’s this gnat up to?” the other man said.

“Really more of a little brother sort,” Peter teased.

“Peterrrrrr!” Nick howled.

Nick gave Daniel a glare meant to kill small animals, but it didn’t seem to have its intended effect because he just started laughing.

“Go back to the kiddie table, why don’t you,” the man said as he shoved Nick backwards.

“I don’t like him!” Nick shouted at Peter.

“Is he even old enough to drink by himself?” Daniel asked.

Well, that tore it. Nick took a swing at Daniel, but it was a glancing blow at best. He tried to shove Daniel over, but the man didn’t budge.

“He’s actually serious!” Daniel laughed. 

“How about you and I go somewhere more private?” Daniel turned to Peter.

Nick jammed his elbow into Daniel’s gut. Daniel dropped his drink and spat. Nick took more swings at Daniel.

“Give it up!” Daniel groaned. Nick ducked out of the way of his first few swings with surprising dexterity despite drunkenness, but then Daniel got in a good one.

Nick was pretty sure he tasted the color purple for a moment after he tumbled onto the floor. He took a deep heave with his mouth as blood dripped from his nose. It was probably for the best that he couldn’t smell a thing on the bar floor.

Daniel cracked his knuckles.

“You learn your lesson?” he scoffed.

“I bet your mother was ugly!” Nick spat as he slowly lifted himself off the floor, too angry to realize his fingers had touched a sticky spot of who-knows-what.

Daniel wound up for another swing.

“Whoa! Hey!” Peter yanked Nick out of the way.

“I’m not done yet!” Nick shouted.

“Yes, you are!” Peter said. 

“God, you’re taking that loser?” Daniel shouted.

“Yeah!” Peter shouted before taking a good hard swing at Daniel, a rather difficult feat with Nick trying his best to get in the last punch.

With Daniel toppled over, Peter dragged Nick out of the bar.

“Does this count as me winning?” Nick demanded as he half-walked and half dragged on the floor.

The cold air was nice, save for the fact they were next to the dumpster behind the bar. Everything hurt extra now that Nick had the leisure to think about it without adrenaline. 

“Ugh. Do you think I need a doctor? I like my nose,” Nick said.

“Well, he didn’t punch your nose straight, so it should be fine,” Peter laughed as he hung a tissue on the severe upturn of Nick’s nose.

“Very funny,” Nick grumbled as he started plugging his nose.

“It’s sweet of you to try to defend me, even if it’s a bit David and Goliath,” Peter said.

“Yeah, but you had to save me,” Nick said.

“I don’t mind playing hero,” Peter said.

“So it’s not a ruined night?” Nick asked.

“You wanna just go back to the flat?” Peter asked.

“But we can go have some more fun,” Nick said as he held up Daniel’s wallet.

“What? You stole his wallet?” Peter said.

“My big brothers always thought they beat me up, but I always hit them where it hurts,” Nick said as he pulled out the money and threw the rest into the dumpster.


End file.
